Five Tips For Eye Health

Healthy ways to help protect your eyesight and ward off vision loss.

More than 8 million Americans are facing a vision problem that can’t be corrected so easily: age-related macular
degeneration (AMD). AMD is a leading cause of blindness in people over age 60 and while the signs of AMD may not show up
until late in life, much of the damage occurs decades earlier. While some people seem to develop the condition no matter
what they do, there are a few lifestyle choices—such as quitting smoking and wearing sunglasses—that may help to protect
against the disease. But research also suggests eating a nutrient-rich diet may help to prevent the development, or delay
the progression, of AMD.

1. Up Your Antioxidant Intake

Studies show that people with low levels of antioxidants are more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration
(AMD) than those with higher levels. Antioxidants that seem to be especially protective against the disease include
vitamin C (in citrus fruits, kiwi and broccoli), vitamin E (in vegetable oils, nuts and avocados) and lutein and
zeaxanthin—nutrients that abound in dark leafy greens, such as spinach, kale and collards. While it’s not completely
clear how these antioxidants protect your eyes, it seems that they accumulate in the retina where they can mop up free
radicals, compounds that damage cells by starving them of oxygen. Lutein and zeaxanthin may also act like natural
sunglasses, helping to form macular pigment that filters out some of the sun’s damaging rays.

2. Eat (Whole) Eggs

Egg yolks are also rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, but many of us avoid eggs because we’re worried about their cholesterol
content. Research led by Thomas Wilson, Ph.D., associate professor with the Center for Health and Disease Research at the
University of Massachusetts-Lowell, suggests that we shouldn’t be so concerned. He found that when people ate eggs
regularly—as many as two daily—they significantly increased the levels of lutein and zeaxanthin circulating in their
bodies without boosting LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels. Unless your doctor advises otherwise, go ahead and enjoy eggs
regularly. (Just don’t go crazy: the American Heart Association still advises limiting cholesterol intake to less than
300 milligrams [mg] daily, and one large egg yolk has about 213 mg.) Take a tip from Dr. Wilson and scramble your eggs
with spinach for an even bigger nutrient boost.

3. Help Yourself To More "See" Food

A recent analysis of nine studies that included more than 88,000 participants suggested that people who ate at least two
servings of fatty fish (such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring or trout) per week were about one-third less likely
to develop advanced AMD than those who didn’t. Lead scientist Elaine Chong, Ph.D., a research fellow at the Centre for
Eye Research at the University of Melbourne, Australia, explains that omega-3 fatty acids—particularly DHA—in fish are
key components of the nerve cells in the retina. “DHA is found in much higher concentrations in the retina than in other
parts of the body,” she notes, “thus, a deficiency may trigger AMD.” So commit to eating more fatty fish, and don’t stop
there: shellfish, such as oysters and crab, provide good amounts of zinc, another nutrient that’s found in the retina and
may also help protect against AMD.

4. Consider A Supplement

Although it’s always best to get nutrients from food first, supplements are showing a lot of promise in combating AMD.
Reports from large-scale clinical trials suggest that, in high-dose supplement form, several nutrients may help to reduce
the risk of AMD significantly. If you have any AMD risk factors, talk with your eye-care professional about taking an
“eye health formula” supplement. The current supplement formula being studied in major research trials includes 10 mg of
lutein (the equivalent of about 3 cups of spinach), 2 milligrams of zeaxanthin and 1 gram total of EPA and DHA
(approximately what you get in a 3-ounce serving of salmon). Until further research is in, there’s no advantage to
exceeding those amounts. Remember to take it only under medical supervision; even though these supplements are available
over the counter, taking megadoses of any nutrient should always be approached cautiously.

5. Keep Your Blood Pressure—And Your Weight—In Check

People with high blood pressure are more likely to develop AMD, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The
theory is that increased pressure damages blood vessels. This hinders blood flow to the eyes, making it harder for
protective nutrients to reach the retina and for damaging free-radical debris to be carried away. Losing extra pounds if
you’re overweight or obese might also help. Body fat is a major storage depot for fat-soluble nutrients, and excess fat
tissue can act as a “sink” for some eye-protective nutrients, making them less available to the macula.